STUDENTS at North Notts College can look forward to more sporting opportunities after the college received a share of almost £1 million.

It is one of 117 colleges across the country to be given money to employ a full-time college sports maker over the next five years.

The funding comes after the college successfully bid for new National Lottery Funding from Sport England.

A total of £945,000 has been given to 10 colleges in the East Midlands, to take on nine full-time sports professionals.

Claire Godfrey, curriculum director at North Notts College, said the college is delighted with the funding.

She added: “This exciting new post will join our growing sports department in the college and will work closely with our partners in the community to help create more opportunities for young people to take part in sports of all kinds.”

“We are excited to be able to offer this new role, which will be advertised in the next few weeks.”

“More importantly we are looking forward to the opportunities the college sport maker will offer to the college‘s students and our community and to increasing the level of participation in sport across Bassetlaw, helping to embed the Olympic and Paralympic legacy from this summer.”

Research shows that around 65 per cent of school pupils, aged 16 and over, participate in sport at least once a week, compared to 53 per cent of higher education students and 50 per cent of college students. It is lower among young women at college, so the new workers will ensure that sporting opportunities are attractive and marketed effectively to them.

They will help individual sports to market their opportunities to students as well as linking colleges with community sports clubs, running leagues and sports groups and offering coaching.

Richard Lewis, chairman of Sport England, said: “Too many teenagers drop out of sport when they leave school, as it gets squeezed by competing demands like studying, work and relationships.”

“We want college sport makers to remind young people how much fun sport is and to help them build it into their schedules so they develop a sporting habit for life.”

Sport England also invited colleges to bid for a share of £3 million of funding to improve the sport they are able to offer.

Grants of between £30,000 and £150,000 will be offered to help colleges to run new sport projects.